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Season Three Research Files
Episode Twenty-four
12:00pm-1:00pm
One of the biggest risks is for infection of the limb, so proper handling of the amputated part early on improves survival of the reattachment. The surgery involves reconnecting the blood vessels. Replanting an amputated part is a tedious process that can take 8-12 hours, which must be performed in an operating room under a microscope. The arteries, veins, and nerves which must be sewn together are small and the sutures cannot be seen with the naked eye. The window of time is associated with lack of blood flow to the affected area. How much function and sensation to return to the replanted part may not be known for months or years. The patient may have to undergo further reconstructive surgery(ies) over the course of months and perhaps years, including tendon transfers and nerve reconstruction. This recovery will include many months of intensive rehabilitation after surgery to achieve the best possible outcome.
Nerve regeneration following repair is a gradual process, and significant signs of nerve regeneration -- such as the ability to use the hand -- may not be evident for a while.
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